Line and surface level



June 1 1926. l 1,587,436

E. A. STEVENS LINE AND SURFACE LEVEL Filed Oct. '14, 1922 Patented June1, 1926.

UNITED ERNEST A. STEVENS, OF NEWTON FALLS, 01110; ALVN W. HART,ADMNSTRATOR 0F SAID STEVENS, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO ERNEST A. STEVENS,JR., OF NEVJTON FALLS, omo.

LINE AND SURFACE LEVEL.

Application filed ctober 14, 1922.

This invention relates to leveling devices and particularly to animproved level adapted for use as a line level or as asurface level andhas for an object to provide an improved construction whereby when it isused on a line it is locked against accidental disengagement therefrom.

Another object of the invention 'is to provide a level which may bequickly applied to a line or removed therefrom while at the same timebeing locked to the line when in position thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a level which may beused as a line level and a surface level without any chang-e oradjustment and when used as a surface level engage a given surface atspaced points in such a manner as to give true results.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a side view of a leveldisclosing an embodiment lof the invention, the same being shown appliedto a line.

Figure 2 is a side view of the level shown in Figure 1 with certainparts broken away, said level being shown in connection with a surface.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of one end of the level shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of one end of the level shown in Figure2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through Figure 3 approximately on line 5-5.

Figure 6 is a perspective view yof an end cap and hook embodying certainfeatures of the invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a lool: or spring clip embodyingcertain features of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 1 indicates the bodyof a level which is provided with a casing 2, a filling 3 of wood orother material and a glass tube 4 provided with a filling of liquid andthe usual bubble 5. The casing 2 is substantially A-shaped in crosssection but rounded at the corners and provided with a bowed up section6 on the bottom so that the level will rest upon the rounded edges 7 and8. These edges are ground off or otherwise shaped to present flatlongitudinal surfaces 9 and 10 which are parallel to the tube 4e so thatwhen the level is rest-ing on a surface it will be resting on these fiatportions and will indicate correctly whether or not the surface serialno. 594,618.

is level. It will be noted that the casing 2 is cut away at 11 to exposean appreciable part of the tube l in order` that the action of thebubble may be readily observed. A cap 12 is connected to the body 1adjacent each end and as these caps are identical, the description ofone will apply to both.

The cap l2, as illustrated in Figure 6, is provided with an end sectionor body 13 having substantially the saine shape as the end of the body 1against which it rests when in position. rlhe end section 13 is providedwith a tongue 1li extending beneath the curved portion 6 to which it issecured by a suitable rivet 15. Also, the 'end section 13 is providedwith an extending or upstanding flange 16 fitting over the upper part ofthe casing 2, said flange merging into a forwardly extending tongue 17,which tongue is bent into a hook 18 adapted to be passed over a cable 19when the device is used for testing the level of the cable. rFhe tongue17 is riveted to the body 1 by the rivet 15 which not only passesthrough the tongue 14 but through the end of the tongue 17 as shown inFigure 2. rllhis rivet also passes through the extension 2O of the lockor ring clip 21.V rllhe lock or spring clip 21 is provided with a tonguesection 22 adapted to resili` ently press against the hook 18 and thebody section 23 merging into the extension 20, said body section 23conforming substantially to the side of the casing 2 as illustrated inFigure 5.

`When the device is used as a line level, it may be positioned so thatthe line will rest in the space between the tongue 22 and the hook 18and then force upwardly unt-il the tongue 22 moves aside and the cableor line allowed to move into respectivo hooks 13. The hooks 13 arearranged so'that their in` ner surfaces may be parallel with the tube 4and, consequently, if the bubble 5 is centrally located in the tube, theline will be level as indicated in respect to line 19 (Figure 1). Thelevel may be easily re moved from the cable by springing the tongues 22to one side and disengaging the hooks from the line. However, the level.cannot be accidentally disengaged or jarred off.

llhenever desired, the level may be used in connection with a flatsurface as indicated in Figure 2 without adjusting any part. Vhen usedas a surface level the den vice Will rest upon the prepared fiatportions 9 and l0 which are parallel to the tube 4.

What I claimV is l. A level of the character described, coinprising aeasing, a glass tube carried by said easing lilled with a liquid andprovided with a bubble, a supporting hook a1'"i"ange`d at each end otsaid casing, and a resilient locking nieinber (to-acting with eaoh hookcoinprising a body formed With a rivet receiving aperture and anextension bent so as to conorin to the curvature ot said easing, saidextension being torine'd With a resilient tongue hai/'ing one endnormally resting, against said hook for' ciosing the hook.

ln' a level ot' the' character described, a body,- anend .member foreach end oi the body provided with a hool'i and a locking structure torsaid hook, said locking structure comprising a. resilient tongue havinga tlarii'ig end adapted to rest against said hook and closel the openingot' the hook, said tongue merging into a' body section, and aprojection, and a single ineniber extending through said projection andpart oi' the end member for securing' them to said body.

3'. i level, comprising a body foi-ined ot' sheet ineta'l substantiallyA-shape' in Cross section and provided with a longitudinali portionconea'ved inwardly along' the center oi the bottoni whereby parallellongitudinal edges vJi-l'l be presented, a lill-nig ot' coiiipar tivelyresilient material positioned insai'd body, a glass tube provided With aliquidi 'i having a'. bubble arranged in the body and enib'edde-dpartially in said ill'er, and means: carried by the body for suspendingtheA body on a. Wire parallel thereto; V

4. A level, comprising al body 'ornedv with a centrally positionednotch, a tube provided With a liquid and avbubble, said tube beingpositioned in they body so that the central part Will be seen throughsaid notch, a filling arranged in said body for holding said tube inplace, a otreinovable end members" mounted' on said body, ea ch said endmembers having overlapping' flanges for overlapping part oi the body,said flanges including a top and bottoni strap extending an appreciabledistance troni the endsj each ot said stra-ps having an aperture neartheA end, a rivet near each end of' the body entendi-ng through saidapertures` for securing said ends to the body, each of said 'ends beingformed with an extension ben-t into al hook, and a resilient tonguenormally bearing against each ot sai-d hooks for elo ing the saine',each of said tongues lira-ving an apertu'l'ed projection positioned sothat said rivets Will extend through the respec;

tive tongues for clamping the saine in place.I

5. A level including a body portion and a pair' of end cap members,saidA ni-einbers each comprising a flat vertical section having` hrWardly projecting side flanges and apertnred tongues extendinglongitudinally or thev body portion troniV the' upper and lower edgesot' said tlat section, a'. hook bent upwardly from the aforesaid' uppertongue, and a hook closing ine'niber' comprising a body portion havingapertnred longitudiliully extending tongue andi laterally' disposedresilient tongue norinaflly in engagement with said hook to7 close thesaine, the apertures of the last mentioned tongue, and ot the' uipperand lower tongues adapted to receive coinin'on cap holding means. Y

ERNEST STEVENS.

